The best road cycling routes around Sovicille

Chiusdino is an ancient medieval village located in the province of Siena, perched on the Colline Metallifere and overlooking the splendid Val di Merse. It is especially famous for its inseparable bond with the figure of San Galgano and for its proximity to the famous roofless abbey. The historic center preserves a timeless atmosphere, with stone houses and narrow alleys that wind along the slope. It is believed that Galgano Guidotti was born here around 1150. His supposed birthplace is one of the main destinations for those visiting the village.

The Archaeological Museum is housed in the ancient Palazzo del Podestà (1225), which overlooks the Piazza del Duomo of Massa Marittima. The collection is organized into sections, ordered chronologically from the lower paleolithic to the etruscan age; the main piece of the prehistoric collection is the eneolithic statue-stele of Vado all’Arancio, the only find of its type in Maremma; the etruscan finds come mainly from excavations carried out at the village of Lago dell’Accesa, they are mainly kitchenware, loom weights, fishing weights and bricks; also present are the funerary trousseaux found in the necropolises, especially pottery (figulina clay and bucchero), bronze fibulae, iron pot stands, iron and bronze weapons. On the ground floor, an educational section is set up with a life-size reconstruction of typical caves: a paleolithic and an eneolithic one. Guided tours and educational activities, organization of cultural events and film screenings are available.

The Palazzo Comunale of Massa Marittima, located in Piazza Garibaldi, is an imposing 13th-14th century travertine building, the hub of medieval Tuscan power. The complex, characterized by three floors of mullioned windows and 19th-century battlements, combines the 14th-century Torre del Bargello (formerly Biserno) with the Sienese Gothic central body. The facade features the Medici coat of arms and a 15th-century bas-relief. Travertine structure composed of several blocks, with the Torre del Bargello (13th century) and the Gothic central body (14th century). It features the Medici coat of arms (1555), a bas-relief by Urbano da Cortona (15th century), and commemorative plaques of Giuseppe Garibaldi. It houses the Cappella dei Priori (frescoed in 1525, now the Mayor's office) and Igor Mitoraj's sculpture "Icarus" in the atrium.

Massa Marittima stands proudly enclosed within a well-preserved city wall. It is a town that has received the Orange Flag from the Touring Club and is rich in medieval artistic testimonies, even though its origins are probably Etruscan. The small streets that cross the hill lead to a magical place where the harmony of the lines amazes, surprises, and invites contemplation. The history of Massa Marittima is closely linked to the silver, copper, and pyrite mines of the Colline Metallifere, exploited since the early metal ages and then especially in the Etruscan and medieval periods.

beautiful view of the city

We are in one of the most beautiful squares in Tuscany! This stunning and unusual star-shaped medieval square is Piazza Garibaldi, a sort of open-air theater bordered by the city's most important historic buildings: the majestic Cathedral of San Cerbone, the Palazzo del Podestà, home to the Archaeological Museum, the Palazzina dei Conti di Biserno, the Palazzo dei Priori, now the town hall, Palazzo Malfatti with its loggia, and the more secluded Palazzo delle Fonti dell'Abbondanza.

Massa Marittima is a fortified medieval village located on a hill, known for its beauty and wealth of artistic and architectural heritage. Key attractions include the magnificent Piazza Garibaldi, with the Cathedral of San Cerbone, the Palazzo del Podestà, and the Palazzo Comunale. Other points of interest include the Fonti dell'Abbondanza with its famous fresco of the Tree of Fertility and, in the upper town, the Torre del Candeliere and the Cassero Senese within the medieval walls.

Chiusdino is a wonderful medieval village located in the Merse Valley among the Metalliferous Hills. Its origins date back to the Lombard domination of Tuscany between 568 and 569. The town still retains its medieval appearance and some sections of the double city walls. It is also possible to find medieval houses, including the alleged house of San Galgano (Galgano Guidotti), where the saint is believed to have been born around 1150.